New study: Box-shaped halls give more emotional impact than others

New study: Box-shaped halls give more emotional impact than others

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norman lebrecht

March 25, 2016

Researchers at Aalto University in Finland have reached the conclusion that traditional concert halls deliver a much greater emotional residue than modern variants, such as the much-vaunted ‘vineyard’ shape.

Professors Jukka Pätynen and Tapio Lokki focussed their study on six international halls.

Vienna came top of the table, Cologne bottom.

Id Hall Shape V (3) N G (dB) EDT (s)
VM Vienna Musikverein Rect. 15 000 1680 3.7 3.0
AC Amsterdam Concertgebouw Rect. 18 780 2040 2.7 2.5
BK Berlin Konzerthaus Rect. 15 000 1575 2.2 2.2
BP Berlin Philharmonie Vineyard 21 000 2220 1.9 1.9
HM Helsinki Music Centre Vineyard 24 000 1700 1.9 2.1
CP Cologne Philharmonie Fan 19 000a 2000 1.9 1.7

 

Professor Lokki tells Slipped Disc: ‘Rectangles render more powerful crescendos (i.e. more dynamics) and also the perceived spaciousness is a function of played dynamics. In a non-rectangular hall you are “looking at the music” and when a crescendo occurs you just here it in front of you. In contrast in great rectangles (Musikverein, Konzerthouse Berlin, Concertgebouw) during the crescendo the sound image widens and finally envelops you. I’ll bet the you have been in Musikverein and perceived this effect. And for us, this is obvious that it evokes more emotions as dynamics is one of the key issue in the interpretation of music.’

Read the full study here (in English).

china musikverein
won, again

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